Dori Moreno, business advisor, coach, and founder of Journey of Self, helps women leaders and entrepreneurs turn burnout into intentional growth. Her Women’s Month message is about pausing, reflecting, and creating space to lead from a place of clarity and strength.
1. What inspired you to start Journey of Self, and how does it reflect your own leadership journey?
I started Journey of Self when I realised how little time we spend truly taking care of ourselves. Our lives are constantly outwardly focused on children, parents, partners, and work, but rarely do we pause to ask, “How am I doing?”
I saw that people can be highly effective yet emotionally depleted because they stop tending to themselves. Journey of Self offers a way to reclaim meaning and redefine leadership—not as something we perform out there, but as something that begins within.
2. Your work focuses on transforming burnout into growth. What does that transformation look like in real life?
It’s rarely a dramatic event. More often, it’s a process of awareness and accountability. It begins when we turn inward, take ownership, and consciously choose how we want to show up in our lives. When we stop performing and start aligning, change starts to happen. Burnout becomes a signal, not a sentence, an invitation to evolve.
3. Why do you believe it’s important for women to pause and reflect to lead effectively?
Because we can’t pour from an empty cup. Women often lead with heart, intuition, and relational strength, but without space to pause, we end up reactive instead of responsive. Reflection is where clarity lives. It’s how we stay connected to our values and lead from intention rather than obligation.
4. What are some early signs of burnout that women leaders often overlook?
Subtle disengagement. Cynicism that looks like sarcasm but is actually grief. Going through the motions. Trouble sleeping despite exhaustion. Saying “I’m fine” when nothing feels fine. We often ignore or justify these signs because “everyone’s feeling that way.” But ultimately, it’s not about how everyone else feels; it’s about how you want to feel and how you want to live your life.
5. Can you explain the concept of “tending to your inner flame” and how it relates to success?
Your inner flame is your vitality—your passion, purpose, and presence. Your wholeness. It is everything that makes you you. When you ignore it, you ignore yourself. Success without that flame is unsustainable. Tending to it means doing what nourishes you, being true to yourself. It’s not indulgence, it’s fuel.
6. How can we redefine ambition in a way that includes rest, boundaries, and sustainability?
You get to define ambition for yourself. Success is what you say it is, not what others tell you. Ambition shouldn’t be about how much you do, but about how deeply you align. A sustainable ambition honours both drive and downtime. It says, “I can pursue big things and protect my well-being.” That’s real power.
7. What is the “strategic pause,” and how can it actually accelerate growth rather than stall it?
A strategic pause is a conscious decision to stop, think, and act. We regularly pause to reflect on business strategy; why shouldn’t we do the same for our strategy? A strategic pause clears mental noise, reignites creativity, and restores energy. It’s a reset that makes space for clarity, and that clarity fuels growth.
8. Can you share a moment in your career when stepping back led to a breakthrough?
I’ve had several strategic “resets” in my life. When I left a high-pressure executive role, I made a deliberate decision to step away from corporate and work for myself. It was a turning point that brought immense growth personally and professionally. Some may have seen it as a “step back,” but it’s exactly what led me to where I am now.
Other resets that have given me deep insight and transformation include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, hiking to Everest Base Camp, and becoming a professional photographer.
9. How can women create space for reflection without feeling like they’re falling behind?
By redefining what “falling behind” really means. Ask yourself: Whom are you comparing yourself to and why? If you’re measuring your success against what you think others are achieving, you’ll always feel like you’re behind.
10. What common mindset shifts do you work on with your clients to help them lead with clarity?
We explore how much energy is spent thinking about things that are out of their control. We unpack limiting beliefs and where they come from. Once you begin consciously deciding how you want to lead your life and take aligned action, clarity follows.
11. What’s one powerful daily habit or practice you’d recommend to women navigating high-stress roles?
Become curious about who you are and how you are.
Ask yourself:
- “How am I, really?”
- “How am I responding to this situation?”
- “Why am I feeling this way?”
- “What thought patterns am I repeating?”
- “Do I like myself this way?”
The act of noticing yourself can change everything. That’s what self-awareness is all about.
12. This Women’s Month, what message do you want to share with women who are feeling exhausted but still striving?
Take control. Nothing will change unless you make it happen. Come home to your true self.
For more information or to reach out, please visit: https://dorimoreno.com/
